Holiday Survival
The weather outside is frightful, and our mood is not delightful…
Holidays can be a time filled with laughter, joy, beautiful sights, and loved ones. It can also be filled with loneliness, grief, seasonal affective disorder, family dynamics, and stress. It’s OK if you aren’t quite feeling like this is the jolliest time of year. For some of us, it’s actually one of the hardest. We miss those who aren’t here. We thought things would feel differently this year. We just can shake this irritable mood that’s been following us around since the clocks changed. How do you get through a time when it feels like everyone is expecting you to be everywhere, with a smile on your face?
Name what you are feeling. There is a lot of power to saying how we feel. Once we name it, we can figure out how to tame it.
Give yourself some space to feel it. Stuffing it down doesn’t make it easier, it just makes you feel like no one sees you - even yourself. Allow yourself time to feel the stress, to cry, to wish things were different.
Prioritize authentic connection. You don’t have to go to every holiday party, or every dinner. Pick events where you feel like the time will feel restorative for you. And if it doesn’t? Just say you can’t make it - we don’t owe explanations for why we aren’t joining.
Let someone safe know you are struggling, and what you would like check in to look like.
Begin a practice of breathing in peace, and start to craft what that looks like for you. Defining what we want, rather than reacting to what we don’t want, can help us feel more in control.
Are you struggling this holiday season? Do you feel ready to explore how you are moving through the season, or like you just need some support to get through the next few months? Gallen Counseling is here to help.
Kerri Gallen is a mental health professional in St. Louis, Missouri. She specializes in treating high school students, college students, and adults struggling with anxiety, depression, and life’s transitions. You can contact her office by phone: 314-967-5439 or email: kerri@gallencounseling.com.